Farmers’ agitation, poor production hit veggie supply as prices shoot up

Ludhiana: The ongoing protest of farmers, which has badly affected the railways and road transportation, is having a bearing on the supply of essential items and vegetables. Besides, low production in crop of potato, tomato, green peas and onion in several parts of Himachal, Gujarat and Maharashtra has also attributed towards the rise in prices of vegetables.
As the supply of these essentials got affected, the prices of vegetables have started soaring. The prices of onion, green peas and potato have witnessed a surge of about 20% in the retail market. Besides, the prices of capsicum, ginger, green chilli and coriander too have started burning holes in the pocket of consumers.
Some freight trains have been transporting onions from Maharashtra to several markets across the state. After farmers’ rail roko agitation now onions are being transported by road on trucks, which are taking long and also affecting the supply.
Raj Yadav, a local vendors in retail market, said, “Due to uncertainty over the resumption of trains for ferrying the essential items to northern region of nation, the transportation of essential food items, along with vegetables, has been badly affected. As road transport service is costlier, it has led to an increase in the prices of essentials goods and vegetables.”
Another vendor Arjun Mourya said that inconsistent rainfall in several parts of the nation has also affected the crop and resulted in disruption of supply in the across retailed market of city.
Meanwhile, local residents, especially the women who have to run the kitchen, are upset over the rising prices of the vegetables.
Gunjan Kumari, a home maker of Atam Nagar said, “With the continuous rise in the prices of onion and potato in the retail market, it has become very difficult to manage the household budget.”
Anamika Verma, a resident of Prem Nagar, said, “At a time when unemployment has risen due to the imposition of lockdown and poor economic condition, there is no respite from the government side to control the rising prices of all vegetables. The government should take immediate measures to control and cap the prices of vegetables.”
Prices are in Rs per kg of retailed vegetable market
Vegetable
Prices in start of September
Prices in last week of September
Current prices
onion
15-20 kg
30-35
45-50
garlic
70-80
90-100
110-120
Green peas
100-110
110-120
120-150
cauliflower
50-60
70-80
90-100
Coriander
140-150
150-180
200-220
Capsicum
44-50
50-60
70-80
Garlic
80-90
90-100
100- 110
Broccoli
120-140
160-180
200-220
Cucumbers
45-50
50-55
50-55